Marcus Smart will have to shell out $15,000 for his public criticisms of the officiating after the Celtics' loss to the Rockets, the league announced Wednesday .
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The Boston point guard was candid after the 123-120 loss Sunday, saying the referees gave calls to Rockets star James Harden.
"When you're playing a guy like that who gets those types of calls, it's pretty much like you're playing in foul trouble," Smart told the Boston Globe . "You've got to play really certain. You have to be really solid. You can't really play the defense that you want, because you know nine times out of 10, he's going to get those calls. It doesn't matter whether your hands are up or not. He still gets them. We saw that here tonight a few times, and we've seen that every other game.
"He has a way of using his hands, grabbing us, pulling us into him and drawing those fouls. He's been doing it for a long time. He gets the benefit of the doubt."
Celtics teammate Jaylen Brown also had a difficult time defending Harden, getting hit in the face at one point and being issued a technical for arguing with an official after a Harden push left him on the floor.
"It happens all around the league," Smart said. "You get certain players who get calls that other guys just wouldn't get. We all know the rule. We all understand it. Superstars are going to be superstars. We get it. It is what it is. We've just got to play."